Chapter 6 of 10

Chapter 6

18 min read4,556 words

After reaching the peak of the first level of inner strength, Lü Cheng deeply experienced the benefits it brought him. Chopping wood felt effortless; what used to take him a whole morning now only took the time of a meal. Of course, his appetite had also increased significantly during this period, especially his preference for meat. But Lü Zhong thought it was just a phase of growth and did not think much of it.

As a servant, Lü Cheng did not receive a monthly salary, so it was impossible for him to eat meat every meal. Lü Zhong's monthly salary was not high either; he could occasionally have a meal with meat or a drink, but going to Baoqing Tower every day would be too much even for the head of the manor.

With the reduced time spent chopping wood, Lü Cheng had more free time. He had always chopped wood at the foot of the mountain, where there were no wild animals. However, once he entered the mountain, even at the lower slopes, some small animals would appear. Many hunters in Song Family Village had good harvests in the lower slopes of the mountain.

Lü Cheng was not a hunter. He entered the mountain with just a wooden stick. At first, he had no experience, and the animals would flee at the sound of his footsteps and the rustling of branches. Lü Cheng soon realized that it was his footsteps and the sound of his body brushing against the branches that scared the animals away.

Watching others carry their game down the mountain seemed easy, but when he entered the mountain himself, he found it extremely difficult to make any harvest. After multiple failures, Lü Cheng understood that to succeed, he needed to conceal himself and avoid making any noise.

Lü Cheng found that achieving this was very difficult. Even when he used the Body Shrinking Technique to make himself smaller, it was hard to avoid making any sound. He could see the animals everywhere but could only watch helplessly. Lü Cheng swallowed hard and suddenly thought of a clumsy method. He closed his eyes, held the wooden stick in his hand, and lay behind a bush. Lü Cheng released a thread of his sensing ability, continuously scanning the surroundings.

Soon, a wild rabbit tiptoed over. Although Lü Cheng did not see it, his sensing ability had "seen" it. Without getting up, he swung the wooden stick and struck the rabbit's head. The stick, swung by Lü Cheng, whistled through the air and hit the rabbit's head.

The rabbit was large and fat, weighing over three pounds. Lü Cheng, holding the fat rabbit, smiled broadly. He originally thought that his sensing ability could only detect things within a few yards, but now it seemed that it could also satisfy his appetite.

Lü Cheng returned home early in the evening, skinned the rabbit, removed its innards, and cut it into large pieces to stew in a pot. Soon, the pot was filled with a rich aroma. As soon as Lü Cheng returned home, he could smell the meat, making his mouth water.

"Cheng, what is this?" Lü Zhong asked, lifting the pot lid and swallowing hard.

"It's a wild rabbit I caught today, Father. Should I call Uncle Xie and Uncle Zhao?" Lü Cheng said. Xie Naxin and Zhao Siyan occasionally went hunting and would share their game.

"Go ahead, and bring back a pot of wine on your way back." Lü Zhong took out a few copper coins and instructed.

Lü Cheng had used his sensing ability on Lü Zhong and Xie Naxin before. This time, when Zhao Siyan came, Lü Cheng had a small idea. He sat close to Zhao Siyan. While they drank, Lü Cheng ate and released a thread of his sensing ability to focus on Zhao Siyan. Zhao Siyan had nothing special on him except a small book on the Turtle Breathing Technique and a few copper coins. Xie Naxin and Zhao Siyan were both unmarried, and their monthly salaries were mostly spent on food, drink, and occasional gambling.

The Turtle Breathing Technique greatly interested Lü Cheng. The technique involved making one's breathing as slow as a turtle's. Turtles breathe in and dive underwater, slowly exhaling in several breaths. Turtles are known for their longevity, and if the Turtle Breathing Technique was mastered, it could not only increase one's lifespan but also allow one to enter internal breathing. By the end of the meal, Lü Cheng had silently memorized the entire Turtle Breathing Technique.

Half an hour before midnight, the three brothers dispersed. Worried that he might forget, Lü Cheng returned to his room and wrote down the Turtle Breathing Technique. The technique was not particularly difficult, but it was not simple either. Besides requiring inner strength, the most important aspects were insight and diligence.

The new technique was like a new toy to Lü Cheng. As soon as Lü Zhong and the others left, he eagerly began practicing. This also coincided with the best time to practice the Turtle Breathing Technique, which was at midnight. Lü Cheng only had time to practice after Lü Zhong left.

Lü Cheng sat cross-legged on the bed, his left thumb bent and pressed against the top of his left middle finger, his right thumb inserted into the circle formed by his left thumb and middle finger, pressing against the base of his left ring finger, and his right middle finger pressing against the outside of his left ring finger. He placed his hands in front of his lower abdomen, embracing his navel, calming his mind, and focusing his intention without distraction.

As time passed, Lü Cheng felt as if his head and hands had disappeared, and he only sensed a breath in his navel, moving in and out. Even if he wanted to move, he could not. Gradually, this breath grew stronger and more abundant, and Lü Cheng felt as if he could no longer hear his own breathing. He did not realize that this was the first step of the Turtle Breathing Technique, entering a state of deep meditation.

When Zhao Siyan first received the Turtle Breathing Technique, it took him three months to enter the first step. If he knew that Lü Cheng had entered the first step in just over an hour, he would be shocked.

The second step had the same posture as the first. He extended his neck, puffed out his nose, and inhaled into his abdomen, filling it to about eight-tenths of its capacity. After the breath entered his navel, he focused his mind downward, delving into the true depths, calming his mind, and holding his breath for as long as possible. When holding his breath, he could initially count his breaths or focus on emptiness, eventually letting it flow naturally.

At the beginning of the second step, it was difficult to keep the breath from rising and repeatedly sinking. However, with practice, it became easier. After about an incense stick's time, Lü Cheng felt the breath in his abdomen was insufficient, and the heat was unbearable. When he could no longer endure it, he extended his neck and gently inhaled. Then, he held his breath again.

When the breath in his abdomen reached its peak, he could slowly exhale. At first, he only exhaled a little, then held his breath again, pushing the breath down to his lower abdomen. When it was almost at its limit, he exhaled a little more. When he could no longer endure, he would exhale to regulate his breathing, then inhale and hold his breath again.

One cycle of inhaling and exhaling was called one breath. Practicing could take as few as one breath or as many as forty-nine. Lü Cheng continued to inhale, slowly pushing the breath down to his lower abdomen, and when he could no longer hold it, he would slowly exhale. After eighty-one breaths, he had adapted to this breathing pattern, no longer feeling rushed or suffocated, and could remain calm. This was actually the second step of the technique, where the breath had sunk to the depths.

It took Zhao Siyan three months to enter the first step and two years to master the second step. However, Lü Cheng achieved both in just one night, surpassing Zhao Siyan's efforts of two years and three months. If Zhao Siyan knew, he would probably feel that he was the one who was a waste in martial arts.

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